Circular knitting machine



' J. J. MODONOUGH CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Feb; 17, 1948,

Filed Feb. 2, 1945 heats-Sheet l LEJ .Zhveni'ar 3y 7:225 zz-Zfarn eys' Feb. 17, 1948. I J,-J MCDQNQUGH 2,436,318

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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 1 4 7g '1 I F T1 .2.

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Even Z ar JOH/V .1. MC DOA/00611 5y hzs aiZTar-neys F@b.17,194& MCDQN H 2,4353% CIRCULAR KNITTING MA CHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Izzy/anion JOHN JMcDOA/0U6H- Feb; 8 i J. .1. M DONOUGH 5 31 Y CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1945 7 SheetS-Shet 6 Tiqlz.

Q I Feb 17, 1948. J; MCDONOUGH 2,436,31 I

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1945' "(Sheets-Sheet '7 1 .Ezvefiifor- JOHN J. McDONUI/GH .kzls aiiar eys Patented Feb. 17 1948 John J. McDonough,'Belmont, N. H., assignor to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. 11., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 2, 1945, Serial No. 575,796

19 Claims. 1

(Clea-'93) This invention relates to independent needle circular knitting machines and more particularl'y to means for presenting yarns to the needles or sinkers at two levels. In independent needle circular knitting machines it is frequently desire. able to feed yarns from two levels separated as far as possible, thisbeing particularly so when making special stitches, such, for example, as plating or terry stitches. 'It is especially difiicult to get this separation whenthe machine is knitting reciprocatorily, as in the case'of the making of seamless heels and toes, berets, etc., and to do this without interfering with freedom of yarn change. When it is proposedto knit stitches re quiring abnormally early insertion of sinkers, it is especially difiicult to maintain this separation.

One object of the present invention is to produce an improved method of feeding theyarns when knitting reciprocatorily and making special stitches such as plating or terry stitches, Another object is to construct a machine in which it is possible to change yarns at any point'in the stocking without stopping the making of the special stitches such as terry stitches, whether the machine is knitting in a rotary. or a reciprocatory manner. M

It is characteristic of the present invention that the machine has athroat plate with two feeding levels, each effective for both rotary and reciprocatory knitting, and that the machine is ca pable of making entire courses of terry loops during reciprocatory knitting. Another feature of the machine is that yarns from one or more fingers can be presented selectively at either level merely by varying the elevation at which the yarn finger presents the yarn to the throat plate. While the invention will be shown and described in a rotary needle cylinder machine intended to make seamless hosiery with terry cloth reinforcements, it should be understood that the invention is also useful in other types of circular machines drum'cams of Figure'3; p

of the pattern I Figure 5 is a developed view of the needles and actuating cams near the throat plate while the machine is making rotary knitting, the needles moving from right to left in this figure;

Figure 6 is a similar developed view, on a smaller scale, of the cams and picks which actuate the needles;

Figure '7 is a planview of the throat plate and some of'thejneedles, sinkers and sinker operating cams of the machine of Figure 1, taken while the sinkers and needles are moving from right to left as viewed in the present figure; I Figure 8. is a view in elevation of part of the circle of needles and sinkers showing a portion 'of fabric and looking at the throat plate from the center of the machine; Figure 9 is a view in vertical section through the throat plate, taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. 8;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 8, with the third and fourth yarn fingers in action just after the fifth yarn finger has been raised out of action, this situation occurring as the knitting of the heel commences;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure l0, showing the first and fifth yarn fingers in action, this situation occurring during the knitting of the foot of the stocking after the heel has been knit;

Figure 12 isfa diagrammatic view of a throat plate and a sinker, showing the neb of the sinker enterin between the terry and backing yarns; Figure 13 is a perspective view of a throat plate made in accordance with my invention and as shown in various figures of these drawings;

'Figure14 is a bottom plan view of the throat plate of Figure 13; v

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through the throat plate and gap closing ring, showing the relation of the throat plate to the openedlatch of an-idle needle;

Figure 16 is a 'view of a stocking with terry cloth reinforcements knit on a machine cons'tructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 17 is a diagram illustrating the progressive increase in thednumber of wales in a terry cloth reinforced heel or toe segment made on a machine according to my invention;

Figure 18 is a diagram illustrating the loops in a fabric having plain loops of a body yarn and terry loops of a terry yarn;

Fi ure 19 is a view similar to Figure 8, showing the fifth yarn finger in action during the knitting or'the l g or instep of the stocking of Fi ure ,6; I v

of the throat plate, yarn fingers and-some *ot-the needles and sinkers of the machine of Figure .1

showing the knitting transition'from highesp'lice to heel; Figure 22 showingthe third and fourth;

yarn fingers just after they have come down into action, the yarn from the fourth fingernot having had time to get down to the lowerfeedi-ng level; Figure 23 being similar to Figure 22 and showing the position of thefinger and yarns after the backing yarn irom' the iourtn finger has worked down to .thelowerlevel; and Figure 24 showing the'firstand fifth fingers out of action and the third and, fourth fingers feeding the terry and hacking yarns respectively for the knitting of the heel of the stockingywhile Figure 25 isa view similar to Figure'B, showing a modification in whichthe third yarn finger feeds to the lower leveland' the -seeondyarn fin ger, feeds to the upper level. V

A typical fabric capable of being produced by the machine shownin the drawings is seen in Fig. 16, where a seamless stocking is showndiagrammatically, having the usual top and leg}, instep 3; 'andalso high splice '4, heel 5, sole 6; ring toe 1 and toe 8,,all fiv'e'containingterry loops and loopers roundsilf While,-of course -the machine can be adjusted to omit the terry loops from any one of these parts as desired, it should be understoodand:- I have attempted to illustrate in Fig. 17th at the machine is capable of knitting full courses of terry loops by reciprocatory knitting. The-showing'of the loops at the edges of the tapered segment in this figureis intended to showthatthe terry loops are found in the stitches at the end'of the segment as well as in between. To further illustrate what is meant by terry loops, 'I'have shown diagrammatically in Fig. 18 the interlacement of a'body yarn l and terry yarn l L'the bodyyarnlfl forming theordinary body fabric of tight stitcheson which the long loops of terry yarn I l are formed.

The machine shown -has'a revolving needle cylinder 269 mountedin bedplate B, 'the needle cylinder containinga circleof independent needles N. Mounted in the sinker ring 295 are sinkers S, the radial movements of the sinkers into and out of operative relation with the needles, yarns andfabric being occasionedby sinker cams in the sinker cap 300. The sinker .camsgare -con-' trolled from the main "pattern drum up (Figs. 3 and 4') bye-thrust bar-465,-;as usual. The yarns are fed from-ia'series -ot yarn lingers F", etc., which .are-pivotallymounted at 554 on the latch-ring .fififlrwhich in turn is pivoted at the point 552 on alatch ring post "I on the bedplate B. The movements 'of the yarn iin-' gers into and out of operative position are caused by "thrust bars' fillfdfil, 462, etc.,' the vertical movements of these thrustbars being controlled from drum earns 50 I 5132; 5il3jfetc; Jon"v the main pattern drum IjZIl; all in theusual manner.

The yarns; goingffrom the yarnv fingers are presented "to'the needles and sinkers by means of a throat plate 559, as is common in circular knitting machines of the type above referred to, but one of the principal features of the present invention is the construction of this throat plate. The needles'N move vertically to knit by means of cams around the needle cylinder 260 which act on the butts of the needles. These cams have anovel construction whichforms another feature of the present invention.

It is, of course, very desirable to be able to achange yarns at will for different parts of the stocking and to cut and clamp the withdrawn yarns inside the needle circle in the customary :manner. Cutting and clamping of yarns in this position are shown, for example, in the Swinglehurst Patent No. 1,292,917, of January 28, 1919.

The knitting machine shown in the drawings of thepresent application cuts and clamps yarns in. th dnterior of the needle circle and is so arranged that the yarns may be withdrawn at the completion of onestocking, the fabric cast oil and'a .new stocking commenced on the bare needies. "The manner in which the loops are formed in the machineshown in the-drawings can be seen, 'for example, in Figs. 10 to12, where the body yarn Y or Y is fed to the needles at such an elevation as to come underneath the top of the neb of the sinker and be guided into the throatof the sinker, while theterry yarn Y or Y comes tothe needle at such an elevation that this yarnis laid on top'of the neb and when finally "cast off it will therefor'e'be much longer than the stitchknit of the body yarn. To obtain-this separation of the yarns by means of the sinker, the sinker is inserted abnormally early, in

the well-known manner.

In Figs. 5. and 6 I- liave shown the needles N passing through the usual knitting wave from right toleft. The butts of the needles are shown going from right to left, riding-over the top of the leading-stitch-cam 35L underneath the'top center cam"351 and drawn down to 'the'knockingoverpoint by passing under the following stitch cam 360. My novel'throat plate'559 is shown in Figs. 13 and 14. -It 'has a throat 569 which con sists ofthe usual wide depression and, except when the yarns are otherwise controlled by the novelconstruction of my throat-plate, the yarns tend-t0 feed from thecorners -56l,-562 of this depression or -fioor,' according to whether the knitting-is proceeding toward the left or toward the right, asthe parts are viewed inFig. 12. The. two elevated needles shown dotted in Fig. 5 are at the so-called idle level'where they are not knitting, and are-shown in this figure for comparison with the sinkers and throat plate. It willbe noted'from the latches L of the'dotted needles in idle position in Fig.5 and from the latch-cf the needle in Fig. 15, that if by any chance the latch of an idle needle should be swung outwardly by centrifugal force, it would be inline with the 'sideof thedepression in the throat plate and'might be damaged by contact with the throat plate or the gapcloser ring 565. For'this reason I have provided bevels '56 3, 584 in theside walls of the depression just above the corners 56l',562' which will-guide the latch back to vertical position clear of the throat plate.

Turning now to the novel parts of the throat plate which enable it to present-yarns at two differnt' levels, attention iscalled to the vertical notch 566 in the inner end of the throat. This notch extends from the'top or upper side of floor of the throat plate. determined by the level of the bottom of the notch 566 so that it can be said yarns are fed both from the top and bottom sides of the throat of the plate. The lower feeding level represented by the'bottom side of the throat should be compared in elevation with th level of the si'nkers. and for this purpose attention is called to Figs. 5, 10, ll, 12 and 19. It will be noted that while yarns feeding from the top of the throat plate leave the throat plate at a. level higher than the tops of the nebs of the sinkers, any

yarns being fed from the bottom side of the throat plate (i. e., the lower feeding level) are being fed below the tops of the nebs S of the sinkers. With the type of sinkers shown in the drawings, this lower feeding level can be at any elevation which will present the yarn at some point between the point of the neb of the sinker and the bottom of the throat (i. e., the knocking-over ledge). .I find it preferable to have the yarn leave the throat plate at an elevation slightly above the knocking-over ledge. With other types of sinkers the elevation can be adjusted in accordance with the requirements of the machine, provided the lower feeding level is sufficiently low'as to present the yarn below the top of the neb and so that, having reference to .the shape of the neb, the yarn will be guided .into the throat.

The exact shape of the surfaces of the upper and. lower feeding levels and the opening between them'areshown most clearly in Figs. 12, 13, 14, 19 and 20. The bottom of the notch 566 is flared outwardly, forming bevels 561 The spacebetween these two bevels 561 is so short that there is little likelihood of needle latches flying upwardly into the recess. However, if the latches do swing outwardly, the bevels and a small web 568 (described below) force the needles back out of the space. These bevels are also grooved vertically at 513 to insure proper feeding of the yarns going to the lower feeding level. The grooves. serve to prevent the yarn from hopping out of the notch 566 when the direction of knitting is changed. The metal forming this lower feeding level is an extension of the. 'main portion of the throat plate. Ther is only a small web 568 across the back of the notch, as can be seen for example in Figs. 7, 9 and 13. This web need not necessarily extend to the bottom face, but its upper surface should be below the bottom side of :the main portion of the floor. This web guides theyarns.

There is one other kind of bevel found in the throat plate which-cooperates to give the necessary results, this being the bevels designated in the drawings as 569, 510 (Fig. 13). These two bevels are located on opposite sides of the upper end of the notch 566 and each extends laterally part way toward the adjacent corner of thefloor.

These bevels function to lead a yarn downwardly to the lower feeding level when the proper yarn finger is moved down to its operative position.

These bevels also tend to completely closean almost closed latch of a passing needle, thereby apluralityof' feeding levels for specific yamfingers, but I shall first describe the basic com.--

This lower level is In the drawings each such'bevel has been .shown as extending a little less than halfway. from the notch to the adjacent corner.-

bination of the throat plate with a plurality of yarn fingers, assuming that they each have a single active position. In the machine shown in the drawings there are five yarn fingers which,

reading from left to right in the views takenfrom the center of the machine (such, for ex-' ample, as Figs. '7, 8, 10, 11, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24), are marked with the reference characters F F F3, F and F and which respectively feed yarns" Y Y Y, Y and Y In the machine shown;

the yarn fingers all feed yarn to the throat plate, and the yarn fingers F and F' are located to the left of the bevel 569 and feed from the upper side of the floor of the throat plate and, gen-' erally speaking, from the left-hand corner 56l.

of the throat plate. The two right-hand yarn fingers F and F are adapted to feed from the lower level, i. e., the bottom of the throat, through' the notch 566. It will be seen that the yarns ,Y and Y are terry yarnsv if the terry sinker cam is inserting the sinkers early enough to separate the yarn'Y or the yarn Y from the other Yarns, while Y and'Y are body yarns. In Figs.-

1 to 14 and 19 to 24, the yarn finger F is shown .feeding yarn from the left-hand corner 56| of the throat plate to act as a terry yarn, but in Fig. 25 a finger in this position is shown feeding yarn from the lower level to act as a body yarn.

To illustrate how a bodyyarn gets down to the lower feeding level automatically merely by insertion of a yarn finger, attention is called to Figs.

22 and 23. In Fig. 22 the yarn finger F has been lowered to its normal operative position and the yarn coming from the clamp 606 (Fig. 2) has been grasped by the first five or six needles. As they pull on the yarn it bears against the left hand bevel 569 at the upper end of the notch 566 and slides down that bevel into the vertical or central portion of the notch, and thence, by

means of the lowerflare or bevel at the left bottom of the notch, gets into the groove and feeds from the underside of the throat. However, if no body yarn is knitting at the time that this yarn Y is first introduced by the yarn finger F continued revolution of the needle cylinder formation of the throat plate within the first half dozen sinkers. Thesame is true of yarns coming from finger F in the construction shown in the drawings, but itwill be obvious that any yarn fingers which present yarns to the left of the bevel 569 will not be thus forced down to the lower or body yarn feeding level. It will be understood. of course, that yarns fed by fingers 'l F and F will not make terry loops unless the v terry sinker cam 3|! is in action. The formation of terry loops can be stopped by withdrawing the terry sinker cam or by lowering the terry.'

yarn to the lower feeding level as described hereinafter, for example, in ification of Fig. 25.

The yarn Y? of the linger in the 1 position is made to feed from the terry level merely by a. change in elevation of the feeding end of the.

However, when this is to be done a finger F (Fig. 25) shaped likeF? is usedin place. of a finger shaped iikeh. Thus by using. a low. vcam on the main pattern drum, the feeding end;

finger.

(In order to have a terry If a yarn is thus momentarily placed on top of thesinker, it will automatically be forced down to the ,lower or body-yarn feeding level by the onconnection with the modageseesisfs of: the yarn finger-roanbe; left: slightly; elevated? above the floor on the; throat: and tout-of contact: with the upper side of the floor (see Figs. 7 to 10: and 22 tote). In this: 0&SB;.WhBI1i the yarn: is. taken. by the firstofew needles. the needlespassthe throat plate with: their hooksabovethe upper .face of thefloor. Theiyarn will be swept. to the left. beyond the bevel 569 before it contacts; the=throat1plate; and-1 therefore the yarn will not beidraggedzdown tothelower feeding level. If. it is. desired to feed: bodyv yarn-from. the finger in the F position; thenthe finger-ismoved furtherdown asshowninFig. 25. It will be noted that theyarn from this: finger is released at approximately. the same low. level asthe yarn from the finger l1" inFigs. 8 and 9. It will be obvious that the finger F inv Fig. 25 could -be'leftele vated'so as. to'release its-yarn at the same level as the finger F in' Fig. 8. if a terryyarn were desired. In this wayyby using two heights of drum cams for finger-F the bodyyarn' in that finger can be used at will for either a terry orbody-yarn, a finger F "-(Fig; 25')*shaped like the finger F having replaced finger F of- Figs. 8'- and 9.

As shownin Fig. 9, I have found it useful to use'for fingerF a common type of feedingend in which the holefromwhich the yarn comes outof. the-end of the: finger togo to the throat plate is a very small fraction ofan inch above the. upper? face of: the floor; With regard tothe finger F however, I have found it useful to give the end of the finger a downward bend'so that whenthe finger is resting onth floor, the nose 5111 will be-lower or, as shown in Fig. 9, belowthe lower face of the main-part ofthe floor; However;v this feeding and must' be above the. upper face of the web which lies across the backof-the notch 566. To enable-thisfinger-and the fingersF and F to feedtheir yarns to the notch 5.66 from levels below-the-upperside of the throat, the'fioor of the throat plate'iscut away "to form an: opening 512', as can be seen most clearly in Fig.20. Since; as showninFi'gs; 9and 20, the noses ofthe'fingers F 'and F do not extend radiallysinwardtoward thecenter ofthe machine as far as the inner end of the throat plate, this opening does not interfere with the forming of th-ebevel 5101 which assists in guiding yarns from F for example, into thenotch. The conformation oft throat plate described cooperates with the yarnfingers to permit'ready removalof ayarn from either'the' upper or lower feeding level when a. yarn is taken out of action. 'As can be seen from inspection ofFigs. 1' an d 3 the pivot point ott'he yarn fingers being considerably above the nosesof'the fingers when in their operative position', the raising of the'yarn finger :causes the nose of the yarn finger to move radially-inward and thus .carry'the yarns out of'tl ie notch going from the lower feeding levelandaway from the Theabevels and web 568'-prevent the aremaised asrequiredby drum cams on the main 1 pattern: drum I20; the particularcams for oper atihg the fingers to produoe tliestocking ofFigzryi yarns.

s. 16 being shown in Fig. 4:. It. will be. notediniz Fig; 16 that for the high splice andrsole; it: is: necessary.- to; have partial courses. of terry loops; during round-and-round knittingand tos-removei.

.. the yarn entirely while knitting the instep. side-f of those'courses or portions.oithestocking. For: this purpose thewell-known device such. as; shown in the Robert.W..Scott Patent: 1,238,052,. datedjAugust 21; 1917, and illustratedtinpartim Fig. 3; can be used. This consisted: means forraising. or'lowering the yarn finger; F every half: revolution of the needle cylinder.- This,.in con== nection with aseparation of-the needles into twoz segments or groups by takingadvantage-=of the. differential in needle butt lengths. gives. exact; commencement and finish-0f the terry loopsin: each course. The thrust bar 460 for. the yarn: finger F has a tensionspring (not shown) connected With it which'tendsto keep it. in its low-- ermost: position and radially towardrthexcenter of". theneedlecylinden There is a. lug 46.0 projecting laterally from the'thrustbarat a pointop-r posite the sinker dial; and there is ahorizontal: cam 460 fastened to and revolving with: the sink erdial. This cam 460 pushing againstthe lug: 460 forces the} upper end of thezthrust bar 460; radially. outward once every revolution: of. they needle cylinder. When thus: forced outwardly the taperediupper end: of the thrust bar pushesv against a downwardly-facing pointon'the under. side of the yarn fingenthereby raisingthe-yarn finger and holding. it. upwardlyuntil the thrust: bar is ableto be pulledback radially inward by its spring. as the cam 46!! passes beyond the lug 460 It will be observed that by'the' construction. of throat; plate just described; the body. yarn is; fed. low. on the latchesof the-needles and a wide separationis provided between the body and ter- 5 As before mentioned; this wide-separation of yarns canbe taken advantage of whenl' knitting fabrics other thanterryloop fabrics.

This; placing of the body. yarn low. on the needles must be maintained even on'the' first needle ofzthe active groupduring reciprocatory knitting, and it the reciprocatory. knitting involves aprogressively widened or. narrowedzsegment in which the leading needle is: picked up: to an inactive level; an additional difliculty: is

found; Referring to Figs. 5' and 6;.attention'is:

Scott Patent 1,148,055.) I have found that this last part of. theraising of 'thele'adingactive: needle caused by the top center. earn 351', i. e., the -'-completionof: the raising of? the nee'dle. causes the loop on the shank of the needle to" beraised" so highdue to friction that on the first oscillation of the machine in. the same-direction after thc needle'was raised, the body yarnc'oming from than the-levelto which the butt of theneed-leisassay are raised by the-pick (Fig. 5) and therefore this top center cam 35! does'not raise the needle at all. I complete the raising of the needle to its final idle level by the use of an auxiliary top center cam, there being one provided for each di- 1 rection of knitting. These auxiliary top center cams 358, 359 are located at such points on the circumference of the needle circle that the sinkers opposite them have been inserted subsequent to their withdrawal at the knitting point. As a result, when an auxiliary top center cam raises a needle, the stitch or stitches on that needle are held down in the throat of the sinker.

As already mentioned, in a machine made in accordance with this invention it is possible to knit stockings starting up from the bare needles and casting oi the stocking after-the end of the loopers rounds at the toe. This can be done in a manner similar to that shown in the Robert W. Scott .Patent 1,148,055. In accordance with the machine shown in Figs. 1 to.4 and19 to 24 of the present drawings and in the said Scott patent, the cycle of operations of the machine is com-j plete in one revolution of the main pattern drum F are elevated by the mainpattern drum cams 50! and 502 which raise the corresponding thrust in bars 402, 463. As these. thrust. bars raise their yarn fingers, the continued rotation of the needle cylinder 260 causes the. yarns Y Y to be engaged in the main yarn clamp 606 and severed by the main yarn cutter 608, shown in Fig. 2. The withdrawal of the yarns and the continued. rotation of the cylinder causes the last drawn' loops of the loopers rounds 9 to be cast off the needles, whereupon the completed stocking falls into a suitable container beneath the machine. When the main pattern drum I20 is again advanced, the knitting of the next stocking commences, it being possible, if desired, to knit a few rounds at the top Of the stocking with the yarn Y in the second yarn finger F3. This occurs when the thrust bar 46! drops ofi the drum cam 501. At all other times the finger is held out of action by this drum cam. When the main portion of the leg is reached, the yarn Y from the finger F at the right of the throat plate can be used. As explained above, the yarn Y goes down through the novel opening in the floor of the throat plate to the lower feeding level and consequently gets into the throats of all the sinkers and is knit asa body yarn in all the needles. The position ofv the yarn finger at this time isshown in .Figs; 19 and 20. Asthe high splice} is reached the terry yarn Y is brought'to the needles by the yarn finger F moving to its lower or feeding po-- sition. 'The downward movement of this finger is caused by its thrust bar 450 dropping off the drum cam 503 on .which ithas rested since the beginning of the toe, the thrust bar 460 dropping down onto a lower-drum cam surface 504 which bringsthe lug 400 on the thrust bar 460 opposite the cam 460 on the sinker dial. This causes.

theraising and lowering of the yarn finger out of and into action to give partial courses of terryloops for the high splice, as previously described (see Fig. 21). .At the end of the high splice a high .drum can! 505 comes under the thrust bar 460 and the finger F is held out of action duringthe heel (Fig.3). I

g Anotherlowcam500 lsused-during the making 10 ing the ring toe when the terry stitches are desired all the way aroundthe stocking, the thrust bar 460, for the only time in its cycle of operations, drops down onto the surface of the main pattern drum li20, there being no cam under this thrust bar at this point. Drum cam 503 raises the yarn finger out of action as th toe iscommenced.

The yarn finger IF which contains the terry yarn for the heel and toe is held out of action by a high drum cam 50! during the making of the stocking until the'heel is reached. When the heel is commenced the thrust bar 452 for this yarn finger drops 'ofi the drum cam 50| momentarily onto the surface of the pattern drum in order to insure the yarn change, then rides up onto a low cam 508 which leaves the yarn feeding in terry position over the corner of the throat plate during the heel. Atthe completion of the heel, the thrust bar .462 rides up onto a high cam 509 which holds the yarn finger F out ofv action during the making-0t the foot. When the toe is reached the thrust bar momentarily drops off the cam 509 down onto the main'pattern drum,.for the same purpose as at the beginning of the heel, and then israised immediately to'a low cam 5|0 which holds the finger slightly raised in terry position until the completion of the toe. The thrust bar 462 drops off the cam 5I0,. after which the terry sinker cam may be withdrawn, but this is unnecessary if a finger F (Fig. 25) is substituted for fingeril? of Figs. 8 and 9 and if the finger F is loweredin, the loopers rounds. The thrust bar rises up. ontothe high cam 50! and remains out of action through the commencement of the stocking and .legyas already described.

The yarn finger Fwhich carries the body yarn for the heel and toe is held out ofv action during the commencement of; the stocking and the leg by a high earn 502 underlying the thrust bar 463. Similarly to the case of the yarn finger F when the high splice has been completed and the heel is reached, the thrust. bar for the yarn finger F drops off its high drumcam .downonto the surface of the main "pattern drum vI20 and the body yarn is fed in this manner for the entire heel. During the making of the iootthe yarn finger F is held out of actionabya high drum cam 5H acting in the same manner as thecam 509 for the finger F after which the thrust bar for the yarn fingerF rests on the surface of the main pattern drum and remains there during the making of the entire toe and the loopers rounds. After the loopers rounds are made the thrust bar rides up-onto, the high drum cam 502 which holds the finger out of action during the commencement of the next stocking and during the making of the leg, as in the case of the cam 501 and the yarn finger F Theyarn finger F which carries the body yarn for the leg and foot.

is held up out ofaction by ahighdrum cam 012 until the body yarn for the ring top coming from yarn finger F has madethe ring top, when the thrust bar 464 dropsfofi the drum cam 5l2 and the yarn finger F comes into action in time to overlap with the yarnfrom "flnger F This finger F remains in action' throughoutthe making of the leg and the high splice, being taken out of action by a drum cam 5I3, when the yarn finger F is droppedinto action at the beginning of the heel. At theendof the heelthethrust bar 484 for the yarn finger F drops-on the drum cam 513 in overlapping action with the yarn finger F which is going'out. of. action at the beof the "foot to give terry loops on the sole. Dur 1 Shining of the foot, andthe yarn 'flnger F stays d1 inactiondurizigthermaklngmf the root and the ring toeiin;t1med;overlapplngrelation with the yarnfinger F .Theyarn finger F? is raised out ,of action at thecommencement of the toe byia drum cam-5 l 2 justastheyarnfingerF is dropped intoaction and this drum ,-cani keeps the yarn finger-F outof action: during themaking of the toe and the loopers rounds. This cam holds the finger cut of action zlmtil atter the completion of the ring top of the next stocking, as just described; Turning now ;to gthezdrum cams which control the terry sinker can fli (Fig.4?) ,-;there is alhigh drum cam;5l4 whichlholdsithe thrust bar 465 up out of .actionthat the terrysinker cam is not inserted (Fig; 4;)l highcam extends around the portion :of the main pattern :drum corresponding to -:the press-oi! at;the.completion of the stockingivandithebeginning ofthestocking down -as:farcas the high splice; '.-During the highsplice, heelandsole, a low cam 515 determines the position of the cam :controlling the sinkers at terryingpositiomand for making terry loops'allaround-thelstocking during the .ring toe the thrust .bar .465 ior the lterry sinker cam drops cfi this glow team :5 1:5 down ontothe surface of the mainpatternxdrum. .After the ring toe and duringthe makinglofithetoe, thethrust bar rests on a low :cam 35H, riding back up onto-the high ,camill prior to the'ma'king ofthe loopei's rounds. V a

As already mentioned, one of the advantages of the novel machine which I- haveinvented is it's ability to ichange yams during-ireoiprocatory knit ting when :terry :loopsare beingmade, without interrupting the .making oil-such terry loops. This feature is of valuer forexample, when making a stocking having"--tip" heels and toes. In' this ca'se the cams :on :the :mainipattem drum which con-; trol the thrust 'bars -for the yarn-fingers are changed so lthatzthe yarn fingersare manipulated as follows. I j The yarn finger F containing the body yarn; for the legend foot, in'steadmf being taken out of action at thebeginningof the heeljwill remain out :of action until -that'portion of the *heel'is reached where it is uesnedao insert the special colored tipping-yarn. "At' thispoint the yarn fin= ger E .is replaced b'ytheghee l and-toe 'bodyyarn finger F? and the"-change back is "made when the tipping yarn ih flnger 'F 'is tobe taken out of action. As faras concei ns the terry yarns,- the main terry yarn firigcr'F is replaced at the be ginning of the ihee'l by the yarn finger F which was used during the ring top at-the beginning of the stocking; and this 'yarnifinger F in turn is replaced by the yarn anger F when'the tipping, begins. The 'yarn in finger -'-F therefore will be a tipping yarn. It will be observed mar ne; ad: iustments ;0f the machine are necessary to make these changes, other than 'selectinga'proper yarn finger. j "i In the constructionshown in Fig. 25 the fin-j r F is us d or a terry yam and the finger F is serving as a body yamlnnge Itf'will be seen that the fingerin cansefve ;B,-tb( )dy yarn fine ger at one point in the "stocking and as aterry yarn' finger at another. It will be understood, of course, that when it is desired to accomplish this result, a finger F shaped :likesF is substitutedfor the finger F In this case :there will bethree heights of drum cams. :Thesurface of the pat tern drum would be'usedror the body yarn feed-.-

ewe-6,111

12 of to stop the iformation 10f terry :locps 'with'out withdrawingtheiterrysinker cam.

:.It vwill be-obvious thatit isi-alsoproper to call the notch :565 aisecond :throat which makestit possible to {feed :a:yarn underneath :the neb :of the sinker from .thebottom of thenotch, i.-e.;-the guidingaedge, and ythatithe-sinkers donot haveto be withdrawn inorder'todo-this. It will be:further noted that-the yarnsggoinglto .the lower level are kept at-the centeroofthe main throat plate.

The advantages :of my novel machine imam situation where -,widei-separation :of knitting :levels of yarns'is desired are believed to be obvious. From the description given :above, many auses other than the specific z illustrations described, which do-not depart :from the scope of myinvention, will beobvious torthose skilled in the: art.

What I claim is:. V 1. A circular knitting machine having independent needles and' sinkersiand .pivoted yarnfingers, in combination with .-a ithroat plate under the yarn fingerssaid'throatiplate having athroat withan opennotchin theqend face thereofiwhereby feeding :of --yarnsto the needl'es and s'inkers occurs when yarn fingersare movedinto operative position both under .the end faceaoffithe' throatby passing through the notch and across the inner edge of the throat, accordingtto :whether or not the:yarnscatchinztheinotch. a

2. A circular knitting machine having independent needles and'sinkerszand-pivoted:yarn'fin gers, ;in combination with a threat plate under the fingers, said throat plate having a throat with an open notch in ttheiend face thereof and being adapted, to :receive and :-feed warm to the needles and sinkers :bothracross 'the top 'of-the throat and underneath the end face ofthe throat through the notch during both-directions or knitting.

H13. A circular knitting maohinehaving independent;need1esland-sinkersand pivoted yarn fingers, in combination with :a throat plate under said fingers .for the feeding of yarns to the needles and 'sinkers," said throat plate having a throat with an open-no'tch in the end thereof; yarns ,presentednver' the end face of the throat being'fed to the sinkers over-the ne'bs of thesinkers; and yarn ila'id in the notch by a yarn finger being-led toa lower level and fed underneath the thereof and yarns ie'd under theend face of the throat through thenotch being presentedbelow the :topsof the nebsof the sinkers, said latter yarns abelngscapable' of -being' red during knitting in either direction "of movement of the 'sinkers and needles; g

I 5.' A circular knitting-machine having inde pendent needles and sinkers and pivoted yarn flngersgdn combination with a plate under said fingers'provided with a throat having "an end face, yarns "fed ai-bove said-end: face being presented' to the sinkers above the tops of thevnebsj of the sinkers, and said-end face "having a notch,-

whereby yarns laid in the notch by a yarn finger will 'be led underneath the "throatand fed to the needles and sinkers at a level below the tops of the nebs -o'f ing position, 'll flis .arrangement ican:be availed 7i rectiem the slnkersr'egai'dless {of knitting d1- fingers, -incombination with a throat plate for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers at different levels, said throat plate having a notch in the end face thereof with the sides thereof bevelled at the top, whereby when the yarn from pendent needles; and. sinkers and pivoted yarn fingers, in'combination with a throat plate for the .feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers, said plate having a throat provided at each side with a corner adapted to guide yarn to the sinkers and needles, said plate having a notch intermediateto corners in the end face thereof, said a yarn finger moved into operative position engages the bevel, the yarn will be guided into the notch and will be fed under the end face at the lower feeding-level.

7. A throat plate for a circular knitting ma-.

chine adapted for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers of the machine, said platehaving a throat with a notch in the end face thereof, said notch being adapted for the feeding notch extending through to the underside of the endface for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers at a lower feeding level than the corners, an opening. in the throat below one or more yarn fingers andconnecting with the notch, said opening being adapted to permit such yarn fingers to present yarn to the notch below the level of the throat, and a web across the back of the .notch helpinglto keep a yarn in the notch of yarns to the needles and sinkers at a level:.

underneath the end face, and the sidesof said notch being recessed at the bottom to retain the yarn duringreciprocatory knitting. v 8. A throat plate fora circular knitting ma chine adapted for the feeding .of yarns to the needles and sinkers of the machine, said plate. having a throat with a notch in the end face thereof adapted for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers under the throat, the lower edges of said notch being flared outwardlyon both sides so as to prevent damage to the latches of any active needles which fiy out.

9. A circular knitting machine having pivoted yarn fingers, independent needles and sinkers, in combination with a throat plate adapted for the feeding of yarns from the fingers to the needles and sinkers at either of two levels, said plate having a throat for the feeding of yarns at the upper level and a notch in the throat extending through the bottom thereof, the lower end of said notch acting as the lower feeding level and the notch being undercut vertically to keep the yarns in proper feeding position.

10. A circular knitting machine having independent needles and sinkers and pivoted yarn fingers, in combination with a throat plate for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers,

permit such yarn fingers to present yarn to the" notch below the level of the throat.

11. A circular knitting machine having independent needles and sinkers and pivoted yarn fingers, in combination with a throat plate for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers, .said plate having a throat provided at each side with a corner and having a notch intermediate said corners in the end face of the throat and extending through to the bottom thereof to form a lower feeding level for yarns, one of said yarn fingers being located above said notch, said yarn finger being adapted to present yarns to the needles and sinkers over a corner when feeding from a position elevated above the end face, said finger being adapted to position the yarn to be drawn through into the notch and to the lower feeding level when the finger is in its lowermost feeding position.

13. A circular knitting machine having inde- .while the yarn finger is down. 13.;A circular knitting machine having independent needles and sinkers, in combination with .a throat Plate adapted for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers at either of two levels, said plate having a throat adapted for the feeding of yarns for the making of terry cloth stitches at-a level above the nebs of the sinkers and hav inga notch in the throat of the plate, said notch extending through the bottom of said plate and adapted for the feeding of a body yarn below the tops of the .nebs of-the sinkers.

. 14. A circular knitting machine having independent needles and sinkers and pivoted yarn fingers, in combination with a throat plate adapted for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers at either of two levels when the yarn fingers are lowered into action or for the withdrawal of said yarns when the yarn fingers are raised, said plate having a throat provided at each side with a corner, said corners forming the upper feeding level, there being a notch inter,- mediate said comers in the end face of the throat and extending through to the bottom of said end face, the bottom of said notch comprising the lower feeding level, said notch being bevelled at its upper end in such a manner that when a yarn finger is lowered and its yarn is fed in contact with a bevel it will be drawn down into the notch and fed from underneath the throat.

15. A circular knitting machine having a throat plate adapted for the feeding of yarns to the needles and sinkers at either of two levels when yarn fingers are lowered into action or the withdrawal of said yarns when the yarn fingers are raised, in combination with independent needles and sinkers and yarn fingers pivoted at a point higher than the plate, said plate having a throat provided at each side with a corner, said throat comprising the upper feeding level, and having a notch intermediate said corners in the end face of the throat, said notch extending through the bottom of said end face and the bottom of the notch comprising the lower feeding level, said notch being so shaped that when a finger whose yarn is feeding in the notch is elevated, the continued rotation of the needle cylinder will guide the yarn out of the notch.

16. A circular knitting machine adapted to make terry cloth, having pivoted yarn fingers and independent needles and sinkers, in combination with a throat plate having a throat adapted to feed yarns from the comers thereof at levels above the nebs of the sinkers for the making of terry yarn stitches during reciprocatory knitting, said throat having means adapted for the feeding to the sinkers below the tops of the nebs of the regardless of the knitting direction, and to per-v remains .wnitithe removar-otitheyarriby raiing'themnger,

whereby theiter'ryiand'bodywams ean be changed .tor otherzyarns aftervai'reclprocaiteryzhel 'or-t6e iDOCkT/iS partiallly'knit. v

"17. "A circular knitting machineehaving-independent needles and rs'in'ke'rs aand .iipi-voted warn fingers, in combination-with a throat'zplate having a throat under the yarn fingers, andfla.second threat in "the end face=of" theefifstithroat and having a guiding edgevwe'lk-beldvwthe firs'tsthroat adapted to feeda yarn regardlessmfsknitting. direction, whereby warns may bested: with rwide'vertical separation with theiloweryamsfed' underathe =ne'b of the sinker. 1- it v 18. A-circu1ar :knittingflmachine having independent needles -and :sinkers rand3piv6ted-1ya1n fingers, in combination' with aethfo atplate forthe feeding :of yarns to xthe -:1'1eed1es ;=al'nd sinkers at difi'erent levels, --said throat; plate havlngia-noteh in the endfa'ce thereof ,the lower-endhf thenotch being adapted :to feed under the end face of the throat plate-at a level below theztopsvohthe nebs of the -sinkers a I yarn from ;a. finger moved =into operative position regardless of "knitting *direfc tion, whereby the necessity 10f withdraiwingsink ers in orderto placea 11am under their *nebs is avoided.

19. A circular knitting machine having independent -needles and sinkers, a} throat plte for it'he feeding of ryarn t'o the -needles an 1 sifikers, veid plete havinga throat withtafnotch'mthe ein! facethereoLwarns :fed'over the end face of said tlnoat'sbeing'. presented :to the 'needlesiat a; ldwer 1evel,-.in--cbmbination .withe, .yarn' finger: adapted stopresent :yarn' for feeding at either level, sub -stantially as described. I

' JOHNJJMCDONOUGH.

REFERENCES 'crr-Eb 'The 'follovving"references are 'o'f recordin the file fit this patent: V

UNITED STATES "PA ENTS Number Name Date f =2;145;630 Nbel Jan. =10, 1939 I 2,173, 783 Ho1mes '-Sept. 19,1939

I 1 2j361j280 'Fregeblle Oct. 24, 1944 2,366,124 Page 'Dec. 26, 1944 2375,683 1 'Page- Ma y 8, I945 '-'2;426}357 Killian Aug. 26,1947

FOREIGN PATENTS Nuniber Country Date 672375 Germany '...'M9.I.'.v 13, 1939 

